Many modern musicians are mobile performers. They often travel to a variety of venues to give a plurality of performances within short time periods. Thus, these entertainers need easily transportable, compact sound equipment which is readily convertible between storage and set-up. Furthermore, especially solo and small group entertainers need as few different carrying cases as possible to cut down on the bulk to be moved from location to location.
Of course, there have been several efforts in the prior art to address one or more of these needs. For example, Kirk, U.S. Pat. No. 1,352,814, teaches a trunk for a harp or like instruments which includes supporting and holding devices affixed to the interior of the trunk to secure therein a collapsible chair and a platform which the musician removes and uses during a performance.
Another, Weir in U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,235 teaches a case that houses built-in amplifying and speaker units, along with an electrical stringed instrument to be played therewith. The Weir case has a rectangular body and two hinged rectangular cover sections. The larger of the cover sections is hinged to one of the longitudinal sides of the body, and the smaller cover section is hinged to one of the transverse body sides. A narrow weather strip is attached to the larger cover and covers the necessary margin between the two cover sections when they are folded over the body to close the case. The margin is necessary to ensure surface to surface covering of the cover sections over the body.
A design patent granted to Peterson et al. (U.S. Des. Pat. No. 269,480) shows another carrying/storage case which includes a built-in electronic device for controlling electrical instrument components. Peterson's rectangular case has two latched openings hinged on its opposite ends, one of which forms a control display stand for the built-in electrical control device. When standing upright, the top end of this case flips over to expose the integrally built-in control board for use during instrument play.
While it appears that upright standing musical instrument cases are known which are adapted to contain and/or stow more than mere instruments and which may include electronic control devices and amplifier/speaker units built therein, none of the prior art cases involve a structural coaction between uniquely configured triangular cover members in the manner by which they fold over and complement each other to completely cover the entire base portion without interfering with each other in closing the case. Further, no prior case does this while also providing an upright, stabilized open case for use as an integral on-stage amplifier/speaker system. It is toward these goals that the present invention is directed.